Child of the Moon
by Alexandra989
Summary: Bitten by what she originally thought was a dog, Roxy's life takes a turn for the worse when she is turned into a creature of the night. How will her friends react? How will she be able to return her life to normal? But before she could do anything, strange things begin happening in Magix...
1. Bitten

Roxy sprinted down the deserted hallway, making a beeline for the library, hoping it was close to empty. Her feet grinned to a halt as she reached the double doors and she quietly entered, surveying the gigantic room. There were only several fairies, the studious ones, who had decided to stay back in Alfea's library instead of hanging out with their friends on that day. Good. Roxy scurried across the room to an empty table in a corner, where she dropped her bag onto her chair and made her way to the shelves.

"Magical creatures, magical creatures..." she muttered under her breath, browsing through the 'M' section, running a finger down the spine of almost every book. Mermaids, kelpies, dragons, Cyclops and various beasts with odd names, but there was nothing there that met her needs. About to give up, she finally spotted a leather-bound tome in a dusty corner of the shelf. Just as she was about to pick it up, brush the dust off and see if it was anything she was looking for, the bite mark on her wrist itched ever so slightly. Instinctively, she reached up to it, and her mind flashed back to what had happened the previous night.

Saturday night couldn't come fast enough for the mostly-teenage students of the three schools of magic in Magix. It was pretty normal, given the fact that Saturday nights were all about clubbing, meeting up with potential soul mates and hanging out with friends.

"Hurry up, Stella!" called Bloom, slightly annoyed by her best friend's usual wardrobe issues. As much as they loved Stella, there were quirks of hers that the Winx sometimes wished they wouldn't have to put up with.

"I'm coming!" the fairy called back, finally picking out the 'perfect outfit'. Roxy was on her knees, trying to search for an equally perfect pair of shoes for the fashionable fairy for the sake of the Winx's time. She finally grabbed a pair and tossed it up to Stella who pulled them on and strutted into the living room. "What do you think?" she asked, striking a pose for them.

Bloom rolled her eyes but couldn't contain a smile. Musa, Tecna and Layla were already on their way out of the door, muttering something about 'being late'. They hurried out and left Alfea, headed to Magix in a bus.

"Wow, looks like a lot of people are here," remarked Tecna, surveying the designated meeting spot, a club with a live band playing and plenty of students their age hanging about, chatting, laughing and gossiping with their friends. They spotted the Specialists who were seated at one of the tables closest to the stage, much to Musa's delight.

"Five minutes late," Brandon commented, checking his watch. "Not bad, Stella." They shared a kiss. The other girls embraced their boyfriends while Roxy and Aisha merely took a seat. Roxy glanced over at the dark-haired fairy and noticed that her cheerful countenance had been shadowed by a sorrowful expression. She reached out and took the fairy's hand, giving it a little squeeze. Aisha shot her a small, appreciative smile.

"Hey, Roxy," a voice spoke in her ear as someone nudged her. Roxy turned. It was Bloom. "Look over there." The red-head winked before turning back to her blonde knight in shining armour.

Roxy turned, confused, to look in the direction Bloom had been indicating, and her cheeks immediately turned a deep shade of red as she singled out Manuel from a group of second-year Specialists. Her mind flashed back to the last time they had met and she began to feel nervous. She couldn't approach anyone in a nervous state.

"I'll be right back," Roxy said to Aisha, who didn't seem to hear her. Roxy hurried towards the exit, hoping to compose herself, and stepped out into the chilly night air. She walked down the street which was still filled with cars and people and turned into an alley. She could still see the street from where she was. She leaned against the wall, drawing in deep breaths, trying to pull herself together, but all the while thinking of her newfound love interest. But the images vanished as soon as her animal senses picked up on the presence of a creature. She turned and spotted two gleaming yellow eyes looking at her from the darkness. She could make out the faint outline of the rest of the anatomy and noted it to be that of a dog's. Glad she hadn't brought Artu along that night as he would've flown at the animal given his first chance, she got to her knees and held out her hand towards the dog.

"Don't worry," she whispered. "I'm a friend. I'm the fairy of animals and I won't hurt you." The creature didn't budge, and merely continued staring at her. She inched towards it. It didn't move either. "I'm a friend," she repeated. For a moment, she wondered what the dog was doing there, whether it had an owner and if it was hurt.

What happened next happened much too quickly for her to process. The dog flew at her and bit her hard on the wrist of her outstretched arm. The pain was excruciating and she felt as though her bones were on fire. Roxy let out a scream, one that didn't go unheard as several people from the street rushed down the alley towards her. The creature turned and fled. As Roxy watched it go, panting, it seemed to just disappear into the darkness.

"What happened?" a girl called, her tone laced with worry.

"Are you alright, miss?" A man's voice.

"I'm fine..." she spoke, in barely a whisper, her energy drained. She got to her feet. "I'm fine," she repeated. Covering up the bite mark, feeling blood seeping out of it, she reassured the two concerned folks that she had been frightened by something she must've imagined. She thanked them for their concern and only when they were out of sight and earshot, did she check her wrist. In the darkness, it was barely visible. Doing her best to cover it up without looking suspicious, Roxy hurried back to the club, where she raced in and headed straight for the female bathroom, oblivious to Manuel's voice calling after her. She hoped no blood had dripped onto the streets or the floor of the club on her way back there. Judging from the patrons' unchanged behaviour, they had not noticed anything.

The bathroom was quiet and deserted. As the door swung shut behind her, muffling the sounds of the music and merry-making going on in the club, Roxy stepped into one of the cubicles, lest someone should enter at any moment and notice the mark on her wrist.

There was something so strange and out-of-place about the dog and the bite. She sat on the toilet seat and glanced down at the incision which was bleeding and touched it cautiously. Back in Gardenia, Roxy had had quite a reputation among the townsfolk for her interactions with animals. They were amazed by how she could calm a wild dog, how she understood all their pets, even ones that kids her age usually refrain from touching such as pet lizards and chameleons. Once or twice, she would be approached by a pet owner who wanted their pet trained. Usually it would be a dog. Roxy recalled a time when a particularly big man came to her with an equally big dog of his who had bitten him twice. The bite mark had been a large, terrifying one, and Roxy remembered it vividly, but it was nothing compared to what she now sported. And the creature had bit her precisely at the wrist, causing a blood flow that she found hard to staunch at that moment. Using a little magic, she got her blood to clot faster than usual, and watched as it stopped flowing. Was the dog trying to kill her? Why would it? What had she done? Wasn't she the fairy of animals? Animals were supposed to love her, not attack her for no apparent reason.

Roxy's pulse accelerated as a heart-breaking realisation dawned on her; the dog had not been a dog at all.

* * *

 **Btw, I have recently started up an online literary journal / magazine. You are all welcome to submit fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, articles, essays and even comic strips and visual artworks! For more information, please visit: doctypelit dot weebly dot com / submissions dot html  
(without the spaces and replacing the 'dot' with actual dots) **

**We would love you to send us your work.**


	2. Turning

Tears streaming down her cheeks, hoping the creature hadn't been what she thought it was, and praying there was a cure for it and an easy way out, Roxy flipped open the book she had acquired from the shelf in the library. She was glad it was a Sunday which meant the library would be close to deserted so no one could see her looking troubled. She didn't dare borrow the book, afraid it might suspicions as first-years had not begun learning about werewolves yet. Roxy just had the thought that it could've been a werewolf as all the stories of them she had read when she was on earth flooded her mind. And who knows what else might happen if she tried to borrow the volume; like accidentally drawing back her sleeve and revealing the incision to the librarian? The whole school would find out if that happened and goodness knows what could happen to her.

Roxy ran a finger down the list of contents. On the table in a corner of the library, Roxy had before her a dusty, ancient volume on creatures of the night. Her finger came to rest beneath the word, 'Werewolves'. Noting the page number, she began to flip through the book, seeking it. Upon finding it, she could only stare momentarily at the picture on the page. An old drawing of a large wolf, standing on its hind legs, howling at a full moon hanging in a dark night sky. Roxy's heart thudded in her chest. Was that what she was going to be? Fear and panic rose inside her. She shuddered at the thought.

Her eyes scanned the page, searching for a keyword. She spotted it on the following page. 'Bite marks'. Several pictures followed the heading. Apprehensively, Roxy placed her wrist on the book, just above one of the pictures and slid back her sleeve slowly, dread filling her. Her next breath intake was a sharp one as she saw the resemblance. It was so similar the picture in the book might as well have been a drawing of the incision on her wrist. Roxy sat back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling of the library, trying to calm herself. She took deep breaths before returning to the book. It was a pure living nightmare. If she couldn't find a cure, her life was going to be a pure living nightmare. She continued reading, and to her surprise, the facts actually intrigued her.

"So, only when the scar heals will I experience a transformation," she muttered to herself, before looking at the mark. "And then every full moon, I will be turned into a werewolf." Roxy shut her eyes for a moment before turning back to the book. A few parts gave her hope like there would be no transformation if the person's blood isn't healthy though the person would bear the ugly scar for life. Roxy didn't mind that. She could always claim it was a dog bite. Anyone would believe her.

But as far as she knew, she was quite healthy.

Lying in a fetal position on her bed, Roxy glanced at the time on the digital clock resting on her bedside table. It was going to be dark soon. Roxy's eyes roved over to the scar on her wrist. She could barely see it. It was almost completely healed. Roxy turned onto her back, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom, listening to the voices of the girls she shared the dormitory with floating in from the living room. She had to leave them.

Scrambling out of bed, Roxy made her way out of the room and left the dormitory. The other girls were oblivious, and she was thankful for that. She didn't have many friends among them, and preferred to stick with the Winx, plus, some of the girls were jealous that she got to mingle with the Winx and was their friend and maybe, even one of them. They were jealous when her arrival had been announced on her first day at Alfea. And Roxy didn't want to have anything to do with those who were jealous of her.

She left the school grounds, and took a bus to Magix. She would be punished for breaking curfew, that was certain, and she wondered how she could explain herself. The bus pulled to a halt at a stop in central Magix and she alighted, before clambering into another one which was empty. The bus driver was a man in his early thirties who winked at her. "Where to, miss?" he asked.

Roxy shot him a glare, recognizing the tone. "This is a bus, not a cab, I'm sure you know where I'm heading," she snapped, settling into a seat. A card on the bus clearly stated that it went to places such as the Black Mud Swamp or the woods on the outskirts of Magix, where Roxy was heading. The bus drove off. Roxy felt a little insecure.

"Please speed up," she commanded.

The bus driver smiled in a way that gave her the creeps. "This is a bus, little girl, not a taxi."

Roxy felt a ripple of anger, but merely remained silent. She looked out of the window at the passing sights. The people of Magix were about their Tuesday night routines, some looking cheerful while others bore harassed looks. The healed scar began to itch slightly. Roxy scratched it, but the itch didn't go away. Panicked, she glanced out of the window, noticing that darkness had fallen. But she was relieved to see that they were reaching the woods.

"What's a pretty student like you doing out here at this hour? Shouldn't you be in school?" asked the bus driver, putting a lot of emphasis on 'pretty' and 'student'. Roxy couldn't help wondering if rapes occurred in the magical dimension. Wouldn't the girls be able to defend themselves with magic? She wondered if the driver could secretly be a wizard or a magician of some sort.

Without answering, Roxy paid her fare and alighted. She scurried across the grassy land, heading for the woods, but not hearing the bus leaving behind her. She turned to see the driver walking casually towards her. Scared, she sped up her pace, but he quickened his steps as well. Finally breaking into a run, she tore into the woods, and he began to chase after her.

There was no one to call for help in the woods. She kept running till she reached a lake, where she dropped to her knees, exhausted. How stupid of her! Couldn't she just transform? She turned and her heart skipped a beat as she noticed the man advancing on her.

"Stop right there or you'll regret it," she commanded, but there was a hint of fear in her voice which gave her away. A regular bus driver in Magix would know better than to attack a fairy student. He was probably learned in the magical arts as well. He grinned evilly. Roxy knew she had to transform immediately, but before she could, the clouds parted to reveal a full moon, the light from which was reflected in the lake and illuminated that part of the woods. And Roxy didn't need her fairy form or powers anymore.

Just as the driver stepped up to her and tried to touch her, Roxy felt a sharp pain surge through her body, very much like the first sensation when she was bitten, only it was twice as painful. She couldn't help crying out as she was brought to her knees. The driver took a step back, surveying her, for a moment, glad to see she was going to be submissive, before realising what was happening to her. His lustful stare changed to one of fright. Long fur began to grow from her skin as her hands and feet turned into paws. Her nails elongated and broadened, sharpening into talons. Her facial features were transformed as well, turning to that of a wolf's. The transformation was long and painful and the more complete it became, the deeper Roxy's voice grew. Soon, it was turned from a cry of anguish to an angry growl.

A human-like wolf stood in the place of the student fairy, all her features transformed save for her eyes which glowed. Anyone who knew who looked into those eyes would recognise her, but the driver only knew that the girl was, in a way, cursed. He turned and ran.

The creature hit the ground, chasing after him, advancing quickly, and finally, pouncing. Ignoring the pleas, the creature had its first meal since its transformation. After licking up the evidence and digging a hole where the bones were buried, the werewolf sped through the woods and ran up a hill. At the peak, from where the full moon could clearly be seen, it howled for the first time.

* * *

 **Btw, I have recently started up an online literary journal / magazine. You are all welcome to submit fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, articles, essays and even comic strips and visual artworks! For more information, please visit: doctypelit dot weebly dot com / submissions dot html**

 **(without the spaces and replacing the 'dot' with actual dots)**

 **We would love you to send us your work.**


	3. Awakening

Dappled sunlight shone through the trees of the woods, creating mysterious shadows. Birdsong filled the air as the daw dawned, crisp and clear. A light breeze swept through the woods, rustling the leaves of the trees. It was all very serene.

Roxy could hear the birds. As clearly as though they were chirping directly into her ear. And she could definitely feel the heat of the early morning sun on her skin in a way she had never felt before. Her eyes flew open and the first thing she saw ahead of her was grass and soil. Slowly, she sat up, feeling a little stiff from the chill in the air. Surveying her surroundings, she tried to remember what had happened the previous night that had led her to end up in that place.

"The woods?" she muttered, confused, as she recognised the place. What was she doing in the woods?

She hurriedly got to her feet and brushed herself off. Her clothes, hands and hair were dirtied with earth. Upon standing up, she felt a little wobbly. Steadying herself against the trunk of a tree, she tried hard to remember what happened the previous night. A few images flashed in her mind, but none of them seem to make sense.

Instinctively, she took a deep breath. The scent of the soil, the leaves of the tree and even the stench of the woodland animals filled her senses. She was quite amazed. How had her sense of smell develop so much? And then she happened to glance down at the spot on her wrist where a scar used to be and then the events of the previous night came rushing back to her.

The moon. Running on all fours. Pleas, screams and yells. Silence. Liquid and solid. Back on all fours, and then the moon again. And then just tearing through the woods, feeding on unsuspecting animal victims.

For a moment, she was stunned. Then she broke down.

Burying her face in her hands and feeling the tears leak through the cracks between her fingers, Roxy was reminded of the time when she discovered she was a fairy. Or more like coerced into accepting that she was a fairy. Her life had been turned upside-down. She could not accept it at first. It just seemed so crazy. But this was crazier. It would seem that fate didn't want her to have a normal life at all. Not even as a fairy. Roxy didn't know how long she sobbed, but by the time she stopped, the birdsong had ended.

It was a little strange, Roxy thought. Why didn't the birds do anything? She was the fairy of animals, and usually when she felt upset, animals were there to comfort her. They shared a very emotional bond. Roxy looked up at several birds perched in a nearby tree. They were watching her. And as the fairy of animals, she could sense what they were feeling. Disgust.

Then she recalled. She had devoured several animals the previous night. They've lost their trust in her.

"It wasn't me..." she tried to speak. The birds flew away. She could only watch them go.

Drying her tears, the fairy of animals tried to come up with a plan. It was almost midday. There was no way she could go back to Alfea. First of all, she would be punished for breaking curfew, and then for staying out all night. That would probably earn her a whole month worth of detention. Her thoughts wandered over to the school, her lessons, her friends. They would probably be having Spellology. Her heart sank as she thought about it. Would she ever be able to go back? Would they accept her? Or would they shun her? Roxy didn't know much about the relationship between werewolves and fairies. Judging from their differences, it probably wasn't good.

Maybe she could go to Magix. Talk to someone about werewolves and see how they reacted. Or perhaps she could confide in someone and get some help. Find a cure. Find a way to prevent her from ever turning again. It seemed like the best plan, but she feared the local authorities would show up and march her back to Alfea, assuming she was playing truant. By then, she was sure someone at Alfea would've reported her disappearance to the headmistress. She could only imagine the Winx, all so worked up and worried, fearing for her safety. Would they try to contact her? Then a thought crossed her mind. Perhaps she could confide in the Winx. They were her closest friends after all. Perhaps they wouldn't shun her even if others did.

That reassured her, but it still didn't solve the main problem. How was she going to get out of the woods?

Another lesson of Winxology came to an end. Bloom felt satisfied as she watched the students file out of the classroom, talking nineteen to the dozen, all looking happy and excited. There were times when being a teacher was just plain stressful, but to see such happy smiles on the students' faces was worth it all.

"When's the next class, Bloom?" Flora asked, turning to her friend.

Bloom checked the timetable. "We have two periods free, and then a class with the first-years," the fairy responded. Flora broke into a smile.

"We can see Roxy again!" she enthused. She had taken quite a liking to the young fairy.

The six girls prepared to leave the then-empty classroom, but before they could, a young timid fairy entered, blocking their way. "I'm sorry," she began, looking up nervously at the senior fairies. "I come here with a message from the headmistress."

"Speak," Stella commanded, earning her a glare from Musa, Tecna and Aisha. Bloom placed a hand on her friend's shoulder before approaching the young student. "What is it?" she asked, in a gentler tone.

"The headmistress wants to see you in her office," the girl spoke. "I think it has something to do with your seventh member, the fairy of animals. I think her name is Roxy."

Bloom nodded. "Thank you," she said, before turning to the Winx as the fairy ran off. "Well, you heard her. We have to get down to the headmistress's office."

"What do you think happened to Roxy?" wondered Flora, worried, as they exited the classroom and brisk-walked to the office. "Headmistress Faragonda wouldn't call us all to her office if it wasn't something serious."

The six girls arrived outside the office and were ordered to enter after knocking. They filed in, one by one and sat opposite the headmistress at her desk. Faragonda had on a severe look. "Winx, have you seen Roxy?" she asked, before they could say anything.

The fairies exchanged glances. "Not since yesterday, why?" Musa responded. Then it dawned upon her. Her eyes widened. "She's not missing, is she?"

The headmistress stood up and walked over to the window behind the desk, overlooking Alfea's great courtyard. "I'm not so sure," she said. "A student came to report to me early this morning that Roxy left the school yesterday night, at around five to six in the evening, and didn't return at all the whole night. And she was not around this morning. Her bed has not been slept in, her clothes have not been touched, her books are still in place." At this point, the Winx were all stunned, shocked and worried. They merely stared at the headmistress, wide-eyed, hanging on to her every word. "We are very concerned," the headmistress went on, sliding back into her seat. "There have not been many cases in Magix, but we fear Roxy might have gotten involved in one of them. She's just a young, unaccomplished fairy after all."

"You mean..." Flora choked. "You mean to say that there is a possibility that Roxy might've been kidnapped?"

Faragonda's look became even more severe. "Perhaps," she said. "But you never know what could've happened. Far worse things could have befallen her. But do not worry, I have sent a note to the local authorities and they've circulated a picture of her, and almost everyone in Magix who is out of doors today will be searching for her."

* * *

 **Btw, I have recently started up an online literary journal / magazine. You are all welcome to submit fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, articles, essays and even comic strips and visual artworks! For more information, please visit: doctypelit dot weebly dot com / submissions dot html  
(without the spaces and replacing the 'dot' with actual dots)**

 **We would love you to send us your work.**


	4. Run

Roxy finally stepped out onto the streets of Magix, warily eying the citizens who walked past. She stood in the shadows of an alley, her senses alert. She was able to sniff out the scents and odours of every citizen that walked past the alley, differentiate them all, and filed them away in her mind. She was scared of her new ability, but ignored it for the moment. She had to get somewhere safe without being caught by the authorities and charged for playing truant.

Roxy squared her shoulders, tried her best to appear tall, before stepping out of the alley. She walked at the same pace as the citizens of Magix, acting as nonchalant as she could, and all the while keeping an eye out for places she could hide in till night came. She didn't want to Alfea yet, not during the day. When night came, she would, if she didn't turn into a wolf again. If she did, she would just have to wait till the following night.

The citizens of Magix's lifestyles were too hectic for them to notice her. Roxy made it all the way down the street and turned down a corner, but her luck ran out at that moment. A citizen cried out, pointing right at her, "That's her! The student! How can you not see her there?"

Roxy knew it was foolish, but she hit the road running, unsure where to go. Several citizens who were fortunate enough not to be a part of the hectic lifestyle gave chase, and they were faster than her. As she panted and puffed after about a mile, she was reminded of the time when she had to run from the wizards. It seemed like a thousand years back. She cast a quick look over her shoulder to see that several citizens were hot on her trails. The people she rushed by tried to grab her, but she managed to avoid them. Most merely watched, too busy to care. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, contributing a little more speed to her sprint. Roxy considered transforming, but it would only invoke the citizens to use magic, if they had any.

A spell went flying over her head, missing her hair by inches. Perhaps not.

The fairy of animals shot a spell at the citizens who were chasing them, knocking them back, much to the horror of the watching citizens. She took a sharp turn and darted down an alley, but she hadn't reached the end when the ground opened up beneath her and she fell through.

"What?!" all of them cried in unison, in a state of utter disbelief.

Headmistress Faragonda's expression was as grim as it had been before. "The report came from the citizens. They ran after her, but she fled. They called the cops, but she was gone by the time they arrived. A citizen reported having seen her turn into an alley before she disappeared."

The Winx girls stared, open-mouthed, at the headmistress, unable to find the words to speak. "B-But why?" asked Bloom. "Why would Roxy flee?"

"Most importantly, why would she leave Alfea? It doesn't make sense. She was so excited when she got the acceptance letter and she's been really happy," Tecna remarked. "It is simply illogical. Have you considered the fact that perhaps the girl they chased after was not Roxy but someone who looked like her?"

Faragonda nodded. "Indeed, I have. They sent me a description." Faragonda read it out loud. "Medium height, look to be in mid-teens, long mauve hair with yellow tips, dressed in a top with a paw on it. Wearing capris. Pink boots." She turned to the Winx. "Doesn't that sound like Roxy to you?"

"It doesn't sound like Roxy, it is her," Stella responded. "But i agree with Tecna for once, it seems weird to say that Roxy has left Alfea."

"And she just... vanished?" Musa added. "It doesn't add up."

Headmistress Faragonda turned back to the report. "Hm, there's something else in the description." The Winx perked up. "They noted that she had a little dirt in her hair and on her clothes. It looks as though the dirt had been brushed off, but not all have been completely eliminated." She set the report down and turned to the Winx. "Dirt. What can you girls make of that?"

The Winx exchanged looks. None had any clue. They mulled it over for several minutes before Flora spoke up. "I think I've got it, headmistress!" she said, interrupting the other Winx's train of thought. They all turned to her expectantly. "Dirt. Think of all the places where we could find dirt."

"Uh, everywhere actually," Stella said.

"Roxy had dirt on her clothes and in her hair," Flora pointed out. "That meant she must have been... rolling in some, don't you think?"

"Gosh, Flora, don't make Roxy sound like a pig!" said Stella.

"Pigs roll in the mud, Stella," Bloom corrected, and despite the situation, she couldn't help giggling.

"It's almost the same," Flora went on. "It could've been mud for all we know, but the citizen didn't get a really good glimpse of it. So, where do you think Roxy could've gathered the dirt from? Suggestions, anyone?"

"Rolling in a pigsty," Stella suggested.

"Someone dumped dirt on her?" Musa offered.

"She slept in some dirt? She slept on muddy grounds?" Tecna added.

Flora broke into a grin which took the Winx by surprise and the headmistress as well. "Slept in some dirt," Flora echoed. She looked from the headmistress to the Winx girls and back again. "Don't you see? She slept in the dirt. That's the best explanation! Can't you think of a place with dirt that you can sleep on?"

They shook their heads slowly. A few seconds passed and Flora was about to speak again when Layla spoke up. "Oh, Flora, you don't mean, the woods?"

The fairy of nature nodded, a huge smile on her face. The other Winx, however, did not share her enthusiasm. "I'm sorry, Flora, but it doesn't make sense," Bloom said. The nature fairy's smile faltered. "Why would Roxy run off to the woods?"

Faragonda looked deep in thought. "I can't say for sure that Flora's right," she said. "But it does give us a lead." The headmistress turned to the girls. "Can I trust you to track Roxy down? It's vital she returns to Alfea; we hardly ever have drop-outs, and this could smear our reputation. At the same time, it's a question of Roxy's safety. You should head to the woods and see if you can find anything."

The Winx nodded, understanding their newest mission, before leaving the office.

* * *

 **Btw, I have recently started up an online literary journal / magazine. You are all welcome to submit fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, articles, essays and even comic strips and visual artworks! For more information, please visit: doctypelit dot weebly dot com / submissions dot html  
(without the spaces and replacing the 'dot' with actual dots)**

 **We would love you to send us your work.**


	5. The Offer

Roxy yelped as her bottom struck terra firma. Her fingers touched cold, hard ground as she scrambled to her feet, eying her surroundings warily, panic and fear rising within her. The room she was in was circular, with a single window looking out onto treetops dotting the ground one level below. The brick walls were as cold as the floor, and the room was unfurnished save for faded red curtains which hung at the window, ripped in places. There was a wooden door, but upon trying to open it, the young fairy discovered it was locked.

"Okay, here goes nothing," Roxy muttered to herself as she took a step back and prepared to use magic to unlock the door. However, nothing happened. She tried again and again, making sure to enunciate the spell properly, but the door remained locked. Finally, she gave up and resorted to pounding on it, yelling at whoever had locked her in to let her out.

While she yelled, Roxy thought about what had happened. One second she was in an alley in Magix and the next thing she knew, she was in that weird room. The last thing she remembered was falling through the road, which was quite impossible, unless there had been some sort of invisible portal. She paused in her pounding and looked up at the ceiling, but there was nothing save for an expanse of grey, a lamp hanging from it. Roxy resumed pounding, but also resorted to her newly-developed heightened sense of smell and hearing to try to detect any signs of movements outside of the room she was in.

She sniffed out the familiar scent of the woods. This building, or whatever it was, was located in the woods. The same woods as the one she stayed been in the previous night, judging from the smell. She strained her ears, but didn't hear anything save for the sound of the wind rustling the leaves of the trees.

Then she heard it. Footsteps. Soft, but she was quite certain they were there. She pounded harder than ever on the door. "Open up!" she yelled. "Open up now and let me go! I know you're there!"

Someone took hold of the knob on the other side and pulled open the door. Roxy stood in the doorway, slightly stunned, as she was welcomed by the sight of the woods. Slowly, she stepped out, before recovering and looking around for whoever it was who had freed her. She spotted him behind the door, slamming it shut, leaning against the wooden wall of a house in the woods.

"No..." Roxy trailed off, finding herself at a loss for words. Finally, she turned and took off, racing with what energy she had left, through the woods, away from the wooden house. She knew it was a foolish attempt when he caught up with her and the magical ropes wound their way around her slim figure, binding her. She fell to the ground and glared up at him.

"There's no need to run or be afraid, Roxy," Duman spoke. Roxy couldn't believe her eyes nor her ears.

"You are dead!" she finally screamed out. "Nabu killed you and you are dead!"

Duman smiled. "Any wizard of the Black Circle has his own ways to survive."

Roxy's eyebrows furrowed as she struggled against the ropes binding her, but knew there was no escaping them. The injustice of it all nearly made her cry tears of anger. Nabu killed Duman before he was killed by Ogron. But the shapeshifter stood before her, as large as live and very much alive, like an insult to Nabu's memory. He lifted her bound form with magic and brought her back to the wooden house, where she was thrown back into the circular room, but there was someone else there.

"Who are you?" Roxy spat at the dark-haired guy standing by the window. He reminded her of Helia.

"My name's Karel. I'm a friend of Flora's," he said, nonchalantly. "You're a friend of hers, too, aren't you?" He sounded kind, despite the tone Roxy had used.

"How do you know her?" the fairy asked, not so harshly as she had done earlier, as she heard Duman enter the room. Karel's gaze shifted momentarily from her to the wizard and back to her.

"We met a few years back, when she and her friends were on a mission."

The door swung shut. Roxy looked over her shoulder to see Duman walking up to her. She panicked and turned back to Karel. "What's going on here? What do you want with me?" she fired those questions at him, a pleading look on her face. She doubted Duman would ever let her go if she begged but perhaps, this Karel, would, especially since he was a friend of Flora's. "Why is he here? Do you know him?" She jerked her head back at Duman, before hearing the wizard snap his fingers and the ropes binding her vanished. She leapt to her feet, but the wizard casually moved in her way, blocking the door.

"Where are you going to go, Roxy?" he asked, in a tone and voice that infuriated her. He laughed at her obvious annoyance. "No one wants you anymore. Not after what you've become."

Her eyes widened, and she took a step back. "What are you talking about?" she yelled.

"You think we don't know a wolf when we see one?" the wizard continued. Roxy realised what they were talking about and her desire to get out of that place and far away from them grew stronger. She rushed forwards towards the door, but Karel grabbed her from the back.

"Listen to him, Roxy," he commanded.

Duman didn't say anything, merely looked at the fairy. Roxy scowled. "Fine," she snapped, wrenching her hands from Karel's grasp. "I was bitten by one and now I'm one of them. Happy?" As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. She fought them back. She could not display any weakness, not in front of the wizard.

"One of us," Karel gently corrected. Roxy spun round to face him.

"What? Y- You are... a werewolf, as well?" she asked, stunned. Karel merely nodded. There was a short pause before Roxy continued, "Did Flora know?"

Karel looked a little melancholic. "Yes, unfortunately," he responded, his voice dropping an octave. "She found out the hard way." Roxy's eyes widened slightly at those words, before she turned back to Duman.

"So, why am I here?"

"You're here because you're one of us," Duman said. "I'm not a werewolf, Roxy, but you do know I'm a shapeshifter, a wizard of animals, and it have a connection with them. Just like you do. Only yours have just recently grown stronger. You're here because Karel and I want you with us."

Roxy laughed, much to the dark-haired boy's surprise and Duman's scorn. "Okay," she said, trying to pull herself together. "First, back on Earth, you were trying to capture me, drag me into the black circle because I was an essential ingredient in your pursuit of world domination. Now, you're saying you want me to be a part of your circle?" She gave Duman a weird look. "How do I know this is not a trick? And where are your brothers, anyway?"

"Oh, they're here," Duman responded, as chills ran down Roxy's spine as memories from the time the hunters were in hot pursuit of her flashed in her mind. "They're in the next room. They've been hiding here for some time now. After I heard what happened to them, I tried to get them out. The werewolves offered to help me, so now we're with them. Karel was kind enough to house them."

Roxy shut her eyes and shook her head. It had to be all part of a bad dream. She was going to wake up from it, to discover that she had never been bitten by a werewolf, and that the wizards were dead and there was no such person as a boy named Karel who knew Flora. She wished it would all go away. Once again, her mind flashed back to the time when she tried to convince herself fairies didn't exist. But it turned out they did and she was one of them. Now she was trying to convince herself that she wasn't in the company of a werewolf and a former nemesis who were trying to recruit her for their werewolf company as casually as though they were trying to recruit her for a basketball team. Roxy opened her eyes and looked up at the wizard, directly into his cold dark eyes. She had to stop pretending.

"So what are you going to do to me?"

"It's not a matter of what we're going to do to you, it's about what we're about to do with you," Duman said, putting emphasis on the words 'to' and 'with'. He smiled sinisterly at Roxy. "We'll train you. We'll teach you everything you need to know about being a werewolf. How to control yourself, how to be the wolf, how to be aware you're the wolf. How to accept it. And ultimately, how to control your transformations. Don't you want that as well? But, it's your choice."

Roxy wasn't sure what to say or do. For a moment, she just stood there, staring at the two of them. Then she transformed into a her fairy form.

"Forget it!" she yelled, blasting the door with all her might. It burst open, much to her surprise. She had guessed the reason she couldn't unlock it earlier was due to a spell Duman had placed on it, but it seemed to have gone. She flew right out and away from the wooden cabin, her pulse accelerating, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She had to get as far away as possible. She daren't look back, but something told her that no one was chasing her. After she had travelled what seemed to be a mile, she finally glanced over her shoulder. The cabin had gone out of sight, but no one had gone after her. She was alone.

"That's weird," she murmured under her breath, before turning back to face the front, expecting an ambush, but there was nothing. The woods around her rang with the sounds of nature, but there wasn't a single sound depicting footsteps pounding on the ground, racing after her or the wind being unsettled by a figure flying through the air, headed towards her. Roxy finally decided to just get back to Magix.

#

"So, tell us what happened," Headmistress Faragonda spoke sternly, a severe look directed at the meek fairy seated before her.

Roxy felt the eyes of the the headmistress on her, boring into her soul. "I went to the woods one evening, because I suddenly remembered that I might have left something there from a previous visit, something that I crucially needed at that moment, but hadn't realised was missing till then. I didn't take Artu with me because I figured it would be just a short trip. While I was searching I suddenly felt really tired. I was actually already feeling exhausted before that, but like I told you, it was crucial I got my hands on that thing I left. Then I..."

"What is this item you left in the woods?" the headmistress questioned, suspicious.

Roxy hadn't quite figured that out. "It was a book, headmistress," she hurriedly said, a book being the first object that crossed her mind. "I had bought it from a bookstore in Magix some time ago, went through it a little, bringing it with me to several places I went, including the woods. I accidentally left it there. I remembered some stuff that were in it, and then I was assigned homework which I had out off till that day. When I tried to do it, despite being tired and all, I realised that the answers to some of the questions were in that book. I searched for it, but it was not there so I tried to remember where I had last put it. And..." Faragonda raised a hand and she was silenced.

"Very well, it's a book. You were exhausted. Then?

Roxy heaved an inaudible sigh of relief. "My head was spinning, so I rested for a moment beneath a tree. I think I must've dozed off."

Faragonda nodded, the severe look still etched on her face. "So you went to sleep. And you didn't wake up till the next morning. What happened next?"

"I was afraid to come back here, as I was afraid if I went to Magix, I would be caught by the authorities for playing truant, which I wasn't," Roxy explained. "But finally, I did, and some citizens somehow recognised me and ran after me. I got afraid and hid in a back alley. They didn't find me. Then I realised I should be getting back to Alfea, so I decided to transform and fly back here. I didn't transform earlier because I didn't want to prompt them to use magic to capture me."

"They knew who you were because we alerted them," Faragonda said. "We were worried, Roxy. Right now, as we speak, the Winx are in the woods with Artu, searching for you. I should call them back. For now, you may go."

Roxy thanked the headmistress and got to her feet, trembling slightly, guilt filling her. She had just told the largest lie ever. She could never forgive herself. But how could she ever tell the headmistress what had truly happened? She had to find out something first.

The library was her next destination. Instead of going through the books, Roxy searched through newspaper and magazine articles, searching for werewolves. She finally found an article on them, from a magazine and went through it briefly. It shook her even more.

 _Werewolves are cold-blooded murderers...they deserve to be killed... the magic dimension hates werewolves..._

Shaking, Roxy replaced the article and sat down at one of the desks. She had done the right thing by not revealing herself to the headmistress And now, she wasn't sure if she could execute her original plan to confide in the Winx. What if they thought the same of werewolves despite the fact that one of their friends was one? Roxy thought of Flora. Perhaps the fairy of nature would understand, after having confronted one before. But she didn't dare. She didn't want to take any risks.

Duman's offer replayed itself in her mind as she went to bed that night. The Winx had returned, after being called back by the headmistress, but with nothing to report. Apparently, they hadn't searched much as Artu was acting rather strange. As Roxy lay in her warm bed, dreading the next full moon, she heard soft growling sounds and peered down to see Artu, who usually slept by her bed, baring his teeth at her. Instinctively, she sent him out. As her head touched her pillow, she pondered on what was happening to her. She had changed. Her old self wouldn't send Artu out. Her old self wouldn't tell a blatant lie.

And the wizards. They were alive. Would they pose a threat to the Winx? She hoped not, or else, her cover was bound to be blown, for she was certain Duman had informed them of her current status. The events of the day replayed themselves, Duman's voice echoing in her troubled mind and Roxy didn't sleep a wink that night.


	6. Second Attack

Roxy was certain she had made the right choice by turning down Duman's offer. A month had passed since that nightmarish encounter and her life had returned to normal. Lessons at Alfea, tests, friends and weekends at the White Horse with the Winx and Specialists, she managed to push it all to the back of her mind to be forgotten.

The full moon hung in the sky, partially obscured by dark clouds. The dining hall was abuzz with chatter as the student fairies of Alfea took their seats and exchanged gossip while waiting for dinner to be served. Roxy entered with a group of first-year fairies, spotted the Winx at their table and hurried over, oblivious to the glares several jealous fairies were throwing in her direction. Not many fairies got to mingle with the Winx, save for during Winxology class, and the huge Winx fans were ultimately envious of Roxy, who seemed to be considered one of their best pals.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, Roxy, will you be coming to the White Horse with us?" asked Stella, sounding excited. She was definitely thinking of Brandon.

Roxy shrugged and shot them a smile while ladling some of the soup that had been served into her bowl. "Sure, why not?" she responded, trying not to recall one of the previous Saturday nights with the Winx when her life had been turned upside down by what she had assumed to be a dog. Instead, she filled her mind with memories from their outing the previous week. "What about at night? Do the Specialists have plans?"

Tecna checked her cellphone. "Yes, Timmy mentioned they're taking us out to dinner at a classy restaurant in Magix. Doesn't that sound great?" she enthused.

"A classy restaurant?" Roxy smiled, as dinner was served. "Wouldn't that be a little too steep for their pockets? Or our pockets?"

"Relax, Roxy, they must've gotten their hands on some free passes or something," Tecna concluded, as they tucked in.

That night, Roxy couldn't shake off the sense that something was wrong with her. She felt restless, her senses were even more honed than usual and she was suddenly craving for meat. She knew it was a full moon night, but in her desperate attempt to forget everything and return to a normal life, she didn't acknowledge the fact that she was about to undergo another transformation.

She couldn't really afford to think about that at the moment. There were tests coming up, and early in the month due to all the new stress she was enduring, trying to shake off the fact that she was now a werewolf, she hadn't exactly been catching up on her studies. She was about to rethink Stella's offer before deciding to take a book to the White Horse the previous day and perhaps study by the lake or something. That sounded good. The last thing she thought about as her head touched her pillow and she drifted off to sleep was the White Horse cafe.

#

The bus was packed with students from all three schools of magic in Magix, till it had to be extended over four times its original size and length. Of course, that was only the interior. The exterior remained the same. The Winx and Roxy walked down the aisle to the back of the bus where they slid into vacant seats near each other and tried to tune out the chatter all around them.

As Roxy watched the streets of Magix flash by, her mind couldn't help wandering back to the previous night. She remembered she had fallen asleep. That should be a good sign, shouldn't it? At the moment, she also could not stomach why she had been so excited about this outing to the White Horse. She remembered having vivid dreams of it the previous night.

Roxy merely stood to the side with Layla as the Winx embraced their boyfriends and fiances. Their table at the White Horse, one of the biggest in the cafes and almost always empty, was soon occupied by them. Bloom was no longer working there, as her newfound family in Domino could afford to finance the costs of her education. Roxy glanced at Musa. The fairy of music had been given a scholarship by the school, but she still had to work at her enterprise to sustain herself.

Miss Greta came over to take their orders. "Hey, have you seen Charlie?" she asked, referring to one of the waiters at the cafe. "He mentioned he was coming to check on things yesterday, but I don't see him around."

Bloom shook her head. "Haven't seen him, sorry," she responded. Miss Greta nodded, before hurrying off, looking slightly worried.

The day kicked off to a good start. There was the usual chatter and jokes, with smoothies and milkshakes and then a walk along the pier. Roxy walked with Layla, but didn't find herself really enjoying it as the fairy of Morphix seemed lost in her own world, a world where Nabu was still alive.

Just then, a scream shattered the peace and serenity of the lakeside, startling the Winx and the Specialists and several customers at the White Horse. They turned to see an Alfea student, perfectly frightened and hysterical, running out from behind a clump of bushes, eyes so wide open they looked almost ready to pop out and she was sweating profusely. Several customers ran to her aid, trying to calm her down. The Winx and the Specialists hurried over.

"What happened?" Flora voiced the question that was on their minds. The customers parted as Flora knelt down beside the girl, whom Roxy recognised to be a first-year from her class, and gave her some calming tea she had magically conjured up. The girl breathed normally again, and managed to pull herself together. The fairy of nature helped her to her feet and stepped back. They coaxed her to sit down on one of the benches and tell them what she had seen.

"It's... it's..." she began. "It's... frightening. Like something from a nightmare. It looks... happened recently..." She trailed off, shuddering, before pointing at the clump of bushes from which she had emerged from earlier.

Drawing out their weapons, the Specialists edged towards the bushes, cautiously, but the fairy called out, "It's dead." They turned momentarily, before continuing on their way to the bush, slightly faster, as the fairies stayed behind with the scared fairy. Riven marched on ahead of them and stepped into the bushes, looked around, before turning back to them, wide-eyed. "Guys, you have to see this."

Roxy could sniff out a familiar scent in the air, coming from the bushes. She felt a strong urge to hurry over and see what it was, but managed to plant her feet to the ground and stay where she was.

As the Specialists neared the bush, a strong stench greeted their smell receptors. Identifying it, they exchanged looks of horror before peering round the bush. As they suspected, they saw a badly mutilated corpse of a man. His limbs had been ripped from his body and seemed to be strewn all over behind the clump of bushes, as though someone had tossed them in there in an attempt to hide them. The ground was stained with blood and so were what was left of the man's clothes.

"Who could've done this?" wondered Sky, aloud, as the Winx came running up. Upon seeing the remains, they gasped and looked away momentarily, mentally scarred for life. After recovering, Bloom took a closer look at the mutilated face, her eyebrows furrowing. Her eyes widened as she recognised the face.

She turned to the others. "It's Charlie," she said, in a voice just above a whisper.

Roxy turned to see Miss Greta running up and alerted the Winx. They ran to tell her what they had found, leaving Roxy and the Specialists. As Roxy finally got her first look at the dismembered body, she found the answer to Sky's question.

It had been a werewolf. And Roxy knew it had been her.


	7. Last Resort

Such a case had not been heard of for a very long time in Magix. Authorities were contacted, the area of the murder was cordoned off, the White Horse was temporarily closed and the murder became a hot topic of conversation among the citizens of Magix, magical or non-magical.

"Any news?" Codatorta asked, as soon as he stepped into Headmaster Saladin's office. The elderly man looked grave, as he stared at the blank screen on his desk, having just ended a conversation with Headmistress Faragonda. The head of discipline couldn't help noticing that the headmaster looked older than usual, and a little weary.

"The postmortem examination has been carried out. Twice," Saladin replied, not taking his eyes off the screen. As his brows furrowed, the weary look that dominated his face disappeared and the one Codatorta knew, the strong determination despite his great age, returned.

Codatorta raised an eyebrow as he dropped into the seat facing the headmaster. "Why twice?" he asked. "It isn't like a postmortem to be carried out twice in such an advanced magical city as Magix. Surely once would have been enough to yield satisfactory results."

"That's the problem," Saladin responded, finally turning to look Codartota in the eye. "The results weren't satisfactory."

"What were the results?" Codatorta was growing impatient. It wasn't like the headmaster to withhold information. As he gazed at the old timer, he couldn't help noticing a trace of fear in his eyes. Headmaster Saladin, afraid? It was unheard of.

"Something Magix has not encountered in a very long time," the headmaster answered. "The first time the postmortem was carried out, they found out. But they weren't satisfied. They were in denial. It was not someone who killed the unfortunate bartender, it was something."

Codatorta didn't respond, merely raised another eyebrow. Saladin took it as a cue to go on.

"No one wanted to believe it at first, because everyone believed they had exterminated this creature a long time ago. And if the news got out, it would put the people of Magix in great fear, and that would never do." He paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "It was a werewolf. And right now, private investigations are being carried out. The news must never get out, but this werewolf must be captured, and exterminated immediately."

#

"But why wouldn't they tell us? We're the Winx! We've done so much for the magical dimension, and they want to withhold such important information from us?"

The other Winx had never seen Bloom fume over any of Faragonda's decisions and it was rather appalling. They sat together in silence, watching as she paced, her arms crossed, brows furrowed and a heavy look of dissatisfaction slapped onto her face. The others respected the headmistress's decision, though there was a terrible temptation of questioning her.

"I'm sure Faragonda has her reasons," Flora tried to console Bloom. "Everything she does, she does for a reason."

Roxy had been watching it all in silence, listening to the conversations, as each Winx debated with another on the cause of the murder. The seriousness of the injuries had been taken into account, and various possible solutions had been thought up, ranging from wild beasts to a psychopathic killer. There were times when they got really close, and Roxy's heart rate would pick up. Besides, she was a changed person, now that she was forced to live with the reality that she had murdered someone, stolen a life, though it wasn't on purpose. All the fairy of animals wanted to do was bury her head in her pillow and cry, or just sit in a corner, hug her knees and will herself to just disappear. However, she had to do something. This murder was definitely not going to be the last.

Duman's offer replayed in her mind. It was horribly tempting. She could learn to control her newfound powers and thus prevent herself from causing anymore unnecessary harm. But wouldn't she be fraternizing with the enemy? That would not do! And of all the enemies, it would be the Black Wizards, the ones who had killed Nabu, the ones who had wanted to rip her wings from her back in the first place. How could she ever face the Winx again?

It was a choice between becoming a savage beast once every month or resorting to getting help from an old, despised, adversary. Either way, she wouldn't be able to live with herself.

But there was one way.


	8. Truth

The first thing she saw upon bursting into the headmistress's office were the Winx, huddled around the older lady's table, listening intently to the details of their next mission. All of them turned at the sound of the door opening and Faragonda looked up, her eyebrows knitted. Upon seeing Roxy, she relaxed, but the annoyed look stayed on her face.

"Roxy, do knock the next time you intend to..." Headmistress Faragonda began, but the fairy of animals cut her off.

"Headmistress, I know what attacked Charles."

Everyone's backs straightened. All eyes widened and turned to stare at her, causing Roxy's pulse to accelerate even more, making her feel a little faint. She took a few tentative and wobbly steps forwards, hoping her legs wouldn't fail her.

"You have a lead, Roxy?" Bloom asked, her eyes lighting up. The other Winx began to look excited. Headmistress Faragonda's look of annoyance vanished, but her eyebrows furrowed once more, though she looked interested. Roxy scanned their expressions, the hammering of her heart so loud she was almost certain they could hear it. There was still time. She could turn and make a mad dash out of the office, out of Alfea, away from everything or...

"It was a werewolf."

A stunned silence filled the room. Roxy averted her gaze from the Winx's, and focused on the headmistress's one instead, but that was her biggest mistake. Her eyes widened as she recognized the expression on the older fairy's face.

She knew.

"A werewolf?" gasped Stella.

"This is bad, this is really bad," Layla said, shaking her head.

"According to statistics, a werewolf has not been sighted anywhere in the magical dimension for centuries," Tecna remarked, gazing at a hologram from one of those devices she carried around. "Well, of course, there have been cases, but those werewolves were immediately taken care of."

Roxy gulped at the phrase 'taken care of'.

Bloom looked from Headmistress Faragonda, to Roxy, and back again. Understanding flickered in her eyes. "So that's what it is. A werewolf." She glanced at the headmistress. "That's why no one was allowed to know. It will terrify them."

"Thank you, Roxy, but that fact has already been uncovered by professionals," the headmistress said. The kindly eyes searched Roxy. "There's something else you want to say?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Y-Yes," Roxy stammered, swallowing hard. She crossed her fingers behind her back. "I am the werewolf."


	9. Mother

The rhythm of Roxy's feet pounding on the smooth floor of Alfea's corridors echoed the hammering of her heart. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face as she panted, making sharp turns and barreling into student fairies who uttered exclamations and shot her looks of disgust.

She did not dare to turn back or even sneak a glance over her shoulder. No one called after her to wait, so it was possible she wasn't being followed. The exit, the exit, was the sole thought that ran through Roxy's mind.

But where was she to go? She had absolutely no place to seek refuge in. The forest was an option, but there was the threat of Duman. The streets seemed ideal, before the thought occurred to her that the headmistress could easily alert the local authorities and she would be captured in no time.

She madly dashed out through Alfea's double doors, ignoring the screaming of her muscles. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. Before she knew it, she was halfway across the courtyard. Training her eyes on the arch that marked the entrance and also the exit of Alfea, she willed herself to go faster.

Just a little more, just a little more.

And finally, she was only a feet away from the arch. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to leap, to hop right through the arch and be on her way. But as soon as she jumped, she slammed headfirst into something hard and almost solid.

"Aah!" Roxy screamed as she bounced off the force field and was thrown backwards onto the rough ground like a rag doll. Several Alfea students nearby gave her curious looks, some of them edging closer. Recovering, Roxy scrambled to her feet, and came face to face with the headmistress of Alfea, whose face bore a grim expression. The Winx were nowhere in sight, though the headmistress was flanked by two Enchantix fairies.

"Seize her," Faragonda commanded. Roxy noticed her voice quivered slightly. Before the fairy of animals could do anything, the fairies were at her sight, grabbing hold of her arms in vice-like grips.

#

"This can't be true. It is most definitely a lie."

Saladin didn't look up from the report he was reading. Codatorta continued pacing in front of him, his eyebrows knitted. Saladin slowly laid the report on top of a pile of papers cluttering his desk. He laced his fingers together, staring at the screen of the device he used to communicate with other principals on his desk, deep in thought.

"There must have been a mistake. The Fortress of Light council made a mistake." Codatorta was confident. He paused in his pacing and turned to the older wizard. "That is the only explanation."

"Patience, Codatorta. The council has contacted the royal family of Tir Nan Og and the girl's father in Gardenia. As we speak, she is being interrogated- I mean, questioned. She was willing to turn herself in, I'm sure she'll be able to tell the members more," Saladin spoke, rubbing his eyes. He looked tired and weary, and very old. There were times when Codatorta tended to forget just how old Saladin already was.

"But we know this fairy. She's a friend of the Winx. She helped out a lot on their quest to bring magic back to Earth. They can't just... exterminate her!"

Saladin sighed wearily. "That is up to the judges to decide. Though, knowing Counselor Givelian, it is quite unlikely the girl will escape unpunished."

#

Roxy wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She studied her surroundings nervously, fidgeting slightly. The interrogation room in Lightrock Monastery wasn't at all serene as the fortress's exterior. It was a cold room with stone floors and walls. Roxy sat at a wooden table, glancing anxiously at the empty seat opposite her. Occasionally, she would turn to look at the door behind her, expecting to open at any moment and a guard would walk in, informing her the date of her execution.

Her mind reeled. Where were the Winx? What had they made of her confession? They weren't with Faragonda and the headmistress had summoned two Enchantix fairies to replace them. Were they in her office the whole time? Upon blurting out her confession, Roxy had turned and fled from the office. Not even one of the Winx called out to her. They were either too stunned by the news... or too filled with disgust to comment. Roxy's eyes brimmed with tears. What were they thinking of her?

There was a creak as the door opened, causing Roxy to jump slightly. She braced herself for the dreaded guard, but upon turning, she was immediately pulled into a tight embrace that nearly squeezed all the breath out of her.

"Roxy, my dear girl! I was so, so worried," Morgana's voice was gentle and soothing, and it managed, for a moment, to calm Roxy's nerves. The former fairy queen of Tir Nan Og didn't want to break away from her daughter, but when she finally did, she laid her hands on Roxy's shoulders, holding her at arms' length. Her worry-filled dark eyes scrutinised her daughter. "You haven't been getting enough sleep," she remarked, her voice just above a whisper.

Roxy blinked. "Mom?" No, they can't be in Magix. Who called them? They can't know about her condition! Suddenly all Roxy wanted to do was punch herself in the face for being such an idiot as to not think about her parents' when she planned her confession. What would they say? "What- what are you doing here?" Another person entered the tiny room. Klaus, with Artu at his heels. The animal immediately went over to Roxy, but instead of nuzzling her hand, he put some distance between the two of them, eyeing his mistress with distaste.

"Roxy, we heard," Morgana spoke, her eyes sad. She took her daughter's hands in her own. "Tell me all about it, Roxy. I begged the council not to send a guard down here to interrogate you. I'll ask you the questions myself and I know you'll answer truthfully. You don't have to hide anything from me, Roxy. Just tell me the truth. Tell me everything. Please," Morgana implored.

Roxy gazed into her mother's dark eyes, feeling overwhelmed. A moment later, she buried her head in her mother's chest and began to sob. "It's... it's been horrible, mom." Her body shook uncontrollably as she cried. Morgana held her close and stroked her head.

"It's okay, it's okay. Just tell me. We have to know, Roxy," Morgana tried to comfort her daughter, but failed. Klaus merely stood by, watching the scene unfoled before him, waiting to hear his daughter's story. He looked a little uncomfortable.

Through sobs, Roxy related her entire story, beginning from the night she exited the club and the creature in the shadows. As she mentioned it, Artu bared his teeth and growled. Morgana listened intently as she spoke of her transformation. When she came to the part about Duman, she could feel Morgana's entire body tensing.

"Duman?" the older fairy's voice was sharp. "And an old friend of Flora's?"

Roxy nodded and continued. Morgana shuddered when she reached the details of Charles's death.

When she finished, there was a stunned silence in the room. A moment later, the door was flung open and several guards ran in, startling the little family gathered inside.

"Capture her!" ordered a short, bald man with a long white beard. He wore a red robe and yellow shoes. Counselor Yerka looked positively livid. Roxy was horrified upon realising that he must have somehow eavesdropped on her conversation with her mother.

"Let me go!" Roxy kicked and thrashed at the guards grabbing hold of her. She shot Morgana a pleading look. "Help me, mom!"

"What are you going to do to her?" Morgana asked the counsellor in a trembling voice.

"She will be tried for murder and of course, she will have to be isolated due to the fact that she is now a creature of the night," Counsellor Yerka responded, sneering at the fairy of animals.

Isolated? Roxy didn't like the sound of that. She continued struggling, till the guards had to drag her out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder at Morgana and got one last glimpse of her family before the door swung shut. Somehow, she knew that allowing herself to be placed in isolation would mean never ever seeing her family- and maybe even her friends- again.

"No!" Roxy yelled. "Believix!"

There was no way Roxy could take down the guards and Counsellor Yerka single-handedly, but her sudden transformation caught them by surprise and gave her the advantage. She summoned rats from the ground, just as she had done once with Gantlos. As the guards and the counsellor were struggling beneath the heap of rats, the door swung open and her family stepped out. Artu whinnied as Klaus and Morgana looked up at their hovering daughter.

"Bye," she mouthed, before turning and flying down the corridor. She could hear Morgana crying out after her, but she ignored it and kept flying. Zipping past other guards and counsellors, she entered a large conference room with rows of floor-to-ceiling windows. Blasting a magic spell through one, the glass shattered, granting her passage out of the monastery. She sped on, flying out into the open and taking a deep breath of fresh air. She glanced over her shoulder at the broken window, vaguely hearing Morgana call for her. She would see them again. She could try. At least she stood a chance now. She didn't know for sure, though.

All she knew was that this was going to be the last time fleeing a problem. No more running away.


	10. Fearful

Roxy spun around once, her eyes drinking in the trees, with their gnarled barks and twisted branches. Her breath came out in rapid gasps and beads of sweat trickled down the side of her face.

"Duman!" she yelled. For one moment, Roxy was astonished. It felt good. Yelling felt good. Shutting her eyes, she focused on all the anger, rage, shock, sorrow, disbelief and fear that had been building up inside her for a long time, and yelled at the top of her voice, imagining all of them being released with that one yell.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" The birds perched on the topmost branches of the trees fled, squawking in horror and indignation. Roxy tried to communicate with them as they took off, but not one heeded her.

"Ah, I see you came."

The fairy of animals whipped around. Duman leaned against a tree, watching her with amusement dancing in his eyes. "Turns out your friends were just fakes all along, eh?"

Roxy gritted her teeth. She didn't know what the Winx thought of her after the revelation. Even if they did hate her, it wasn't their fault. Werewolves did bring a lot of trouble to the magical dimension, but it was due to the fact that they had villains like Duman on their side. "Don't talk about my friends that way," Roxy spat. "I didn't come here to discuss the reception I got."

Duman smirked. "Ah, I see." He spread his hands. "So sorry." He folded his arms once more. "But... you came here to see me. Don't tell me you've decided to accept our offer?"

Wow, he really did get straight to the point. Roxy took a deep, shaky breath and straightened herself. As firmly as she could, she said, "Yes."

#

Flora hugged her knees, absent-mindedly stroking the leaf of a potted plant next to her. The dormitory was deserted; the rest of the Winx were in the living room.

"I can't believe it. I just can't believe it." Snatches of conversation drifted through the open room door and floated into Flora's ears.

"But it isn't her fault!" Bloom was saying. "She was bitten! It wasn't like she chose to be a werewolf!"

"Whatever the case, she is now a werewolf. And she's considered 'Extremely Dangerous', according to these statistics I managed to hack from the mayor's files," Tecna piped up. Flora could hear the faint beeps of her palmtop. "Eliminate on sight."

"We have to protect her!" Musa argued. "We can't let them kill her!"

"But we have absolutely no idea where she is!" Stella responded.

"She's at the Council of Light Fortress," said Bloom.

A short silence hung over the congregating fairies. Flora sprang up from her bed and dashed over to her bedroom window. Pushing it open slightly, she climbed onto the sill. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she leaped, and went plummeting towards the ground.

"Believix!"

Flora flew straight towards Alfea's exit.

#

"Here you go."

"Whoa."

Roxy's gaze swept over the various training stations all of which had human-sized dummies that had been mutilated in many different ways. Diagrams of werewolf formations hung on the walls, along with manifestos, pack rules and basic survival tips. One of the training stations had a very realistic backdrop of a forest, with real logs and soil placed before it. Another station had several slabs of meat lying on pedestals. Each of them had a label, though Roxy couldn't tell the difference between any of them.

Seated on benches or preoccupied with activities at the stations were other teenagers. Well, at least most of them appeared to be teenagers. Roxy spotted a man who was probably as old as Headmaster Saladin putting together a weird-looking contraption which involved a lot of steel, and a girl as young as Flora's sister, Miele, kicking a colourful ball around. Everyone looked up and stopped what they were doing when Roxy entered.

"Oh. It's her," said the elderly man, eyeing Roxy with a look that clearly showed he was not impressed. He returned to his contraption.

"What is this place?" Roxy asked Duman.

"Well, it's an unofficial training ground for werewolves," the wizard explained. "I know every nook and cranny of it, but it belongs to Karel. Ever since he accidentally scared your friend Flora off, he decided to do something about this werewolf epidemic. Delved deeper into the subject of lyncanthropes. Figured out how to control his transformations. Decided to do something for the good of the magical dimension's werewolves."

"A training ground for werewolves? Out here, in the woods?" Roxy thought back to the passages Duman had led her through before they reached that hall. They had gone into a dark cellar, gone down several flights of stairs and through a couple of dimly-lit tunnels. Still, the distance they had travelled suggested they were still in the woods and Roxy didn't recall any magic portals.

"Well, we're deep underground and protected by a simple spell."

"Another barrier," Roxy guessed.

"Not quite. This spell disguises the place. The authorities come here, and they just think this is some sacred underground site that they should just mark and then abandon. Or at least that's what we make them think."

"You manipulate people's minds."

"Hey, it's all for the good of these people." Duman gestured round at the others in the hall. Some had returned to what they had been doing, but a couple of them were still watching Roxy. "People like you," Duman added in Roxy's ear.

"These are all werewolves?"

Duman rolled his eyes. "Duh. And most of them are masters. As in, they can transform without the moon, and they are aware when they're werewolves, and have total control over themselves. They lead pretty great lives in Magix; one of them is even working for the mayor. Oh look, here she comes now."

Roxy looked up. A lady who appeared to be around Morgana's age was striding towards the wizard and the fairy. Her blonde hair was done up in a French twist and she was dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt and a pencil skirt. A stern expression was plastered on her face and her gray eyes looked threatening. Her brows furrowed into a deep frown as she glared at Roxy.

"You revealed yourself?" she half-yelled at the fairy of animals, who was taken aback. The fairy took a couple of steps backwards, away from the frightening woman. "Do you know what you've just done? Do you know how much danger we'll soon be in, all thanks to you?"

"Okay, Cara, please," Duman intervened. "Yes, I never said the little fairy was smart. She's just like all the other Alfea fairies, shallow and petty..."

"Hey!"

"... but they have no clue as to the existence of our hideout."

"They'll track her here!"

"No, they won't. We're going to ensure that."

Cara fell silent, but her glare never left Roxy's timid face. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Roxy spoke. "So... you work for the mayor, Mr. Dyamond? Even though you're a werewolf?" she asked, in a small voice.

Cara's frown deepened. "Yes, child. And I even have a family. You know, you could've led a similar life, one that was normal and happy. But you just threw it all away when you told the world you were a werewolf. Now no one would ever look at you the same way again. And if they were to find a way to track you here, no one will ever look at the rest of us the same way again!" With that, she turned and stormed off.

Before Roxy could say anything else, she felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to see Karel. Duman must've left, for he was nowhere in sight. "Duman wanted me to give you a tour of the place. Thought it might be better if I just did it," he said. "Anyway, he had to check on his brothers."

Roxy nodded, unsure what to say.

Karel lead her over to the first station, one with several human dummies, most poised like they were ready to attack. A few fairy-shaped dummies floated in the air as well, their dummy wings actually keeping them off the ground. "This is a simulation," he explained. "I... um, am trying to improve it, and install holograms instead, but so far we haven't got the means or the money to do it. So we just had to resort to dummies. Thank goodness we have magic."

"A simulation... of what to do when someone attempts an attack?" Roxy guessed, from the position of the dummies.

"Yes," Karel confirmed. "Usually the werewolves are taught to kill anyone they encountered, as that person could go around blabbing about werewolves, and then the whole magical dimension will start hunting us down and sooner or later, they'll find us."

Roxy swallowed. Well, the magical dimension did know right now.

The next station was the one with the forest backdrop. "Survival skills while in werewolf or human form. Sometimes nature can be a threat as well." He steered the young fairy on to the next station, one with the slabs of meat. "These are baits," he explained. "In the past, to overcome the threat of werewolves, the magical dimension came up with many different types of poison, which they smeared on meat and left for the werewolves. Many of us died, so we tried to identify these poisons. Some were so strong even the slightest whiff of it would kill a werewolf. So we managed to use magic to replicate some of it, including the smell, but without the poison, so our wolves will be able to sense it from afar, and warn the pack."

Roxy looked at the labels. One read 'Opposotus'. Wasn't that a kingdom in the magical dimension? One where everything was the opposite? The slab of meat lying on that pedestal gave off a very sweet smell, smelling almost nothing like raw meat. The next pedestal was labelled 'planet Chill'. The meat on it appeared to be ordinary; with the usual stench emanating from it. Roxy couldn't smell any difference. Her eyes widened at the next pedestal. 'Solaria'. The meat gave off a funny, burnt smell. It still smelt edible, though, and Roxy's stomach suddenly rumbled.

"The kingdoms in which the poison and bait were produced," Karel explained. "If you find any new ones, please let us know."

Roxy looked around. There didn't appear to be other stations. "So, am I supposed to train here?"

"Of course, where else?"

Roxy nodded slowly. "What do we do first?"

Karel actually cracked a smile. "First, we learn control. However, there is something else Duman wants. And which I would like, too."

Roxy raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, but her heart thumped in her chest. This was not going to be good.

"We want you to face your fears and overcome them. So we'll start with one fear. Follow me, we're off to see the Wizards of the Black Circle."


	11. Old Enemies

Roxy inhaled sharply.

"I am not following you to meet them," she said, folding her arms.

Karel smiled. "Duman did warn me you were going to be stubborn." Roxy glared at him. Nonetheless, there was something about Karel's expression that put her at ease- he was not interested in harming her in any way. He appeared to be sincere about his whole mission concerning the welfare of the werewolves, and was probably telling the truth about having met Flora. Roxy reckoned Duman had most likely fed him a pack of lies regarding himself and the wizards.

"What do you know about Duman and the wizards?" she asked.

Karel shrugged. "I'll admit, I can't say I know much about them. But I know Duman, and I trust him. You may not know it, Roxy, but ever since he joined us, he's been a great help."

Roxy frowned. She couldn't imagine Duman being a great help to anyone, except towards his friends in their pursuit of world domination.

"I know you're afraid of them, but…"

"I'm not afraid!" Roxy snapped. "I just don't like them after all they've done to me and my friends."

Karel raised an eyebrow.

Roxy bit her lip. She had to admit- she was still a little afraid of the wizards. Despite having seen them in their weak, vulnerable state back in Gardenia and later defeating them in the Omega Dimension, Roxy was not prepared to face them. Back when the hunt was still on, she had been plagued with nightmares that usually ended with her being captured by Ogron and his wizards. She would often wake up drenched in sweat as scenes of the four wizards having Roxy-flavoured barbecue while the world burned before them, flashed in her mind.

"You must face your fears, Roxy. Not only would you making peace with the Wizards of the Black Circle be a good thing for both parties…"

"Making peace with the Wizards of the Black Circle is the new great paradox of the magical universe."

"…but the people here would know that you are someone with mettle. That you can be trusted," Karel said, ignoring Roxy's outburst. "After all, wasn't it a sort of fear that made you rat out your status in the first place?"

Karel's calm and amiable countenance had changed to one of exasperation. Roxy's frown deepened, but she remained silent.

"Perhaps if you could do this, the others might forgive you for what you did. Or at least they would, once they've all cooled down after stressing over the best way to solve this problem."

They exchanged stares.

"Fine," Roxy said. Karel turned and began leading the way. Behind him, Roxy took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, before following him.

Fearful they might be spotted by any rangers or nature spirits out in the woods, Karel navigated the wounding passages of the werewolves' hideout, with Roxy following close behind. They went down several flights of stairs, leaving Roxy to wonder how deep beneath the surface they were. A light fairy like Stella would never have survived the trip.

"Werewolves are independent creatures," Karel said, as they turned down another dark passageway. A few torches attached to the brick walls cast a flickering pathetic light that made the shadows dance and Roxy feel like throwing up. "We don't actually need training, we are capable of figuring things out for ourselves. After all, we are all programmed for survival. But recently, the death toll is rising as the magical universe is getting more active with their werewolf extermination programs."

"Do any of you come down here?" Roxy asked. "It smells like wet fur down here."

The glow of the torches highlighted Karel's jaw as he turned slightly and smiled at Roxy. "It's actually very faint. You have an excellent sense of smell. Not even the wizards complained of the wet fur scent, you know."

Karel pulled open a trapdoor at the end of the passageway and they descended another flight of stairs. Roxy wondered if Karel was taking her to a dungeon to torture her for his entertainment, or if he was truly taking her to see the wizards. Somehow, Roxy would've preferred the former.

"How did you build all this without the Magix officials knowing? Or anyone who frequents the woods, for that matter?"

"Well, we do have magicians in our midst as well, just like you are a fairy, Roxy. They set up all our defences, rendering us invisible to prying eyes, with their skills. Of course, back before werewolves were actively hunted, this was just a playground, a meet-up spot for werewolves. Like I mentioned, we didn't need training back then."

They arrived at a corridor, and Roxy spotted the outline of a door at the end. "I'm guessing that's where they're staying."

Karel nodded. "I'll leave you here, and perhaps…"

"No!" Roxy said. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you mind staying here? Or perhaps come along? I have no idea what they will do to me."

"Can't. This is between you and your enemies. I must not interfere. Besides, you're not purely a fairy now. You would be useless to them."

Without another word, Karel turned and headed back up the stairs.

Roxy wasn't sure how she was supposed to make an entrance. Should she throw open the door and yell at the wizards for ruining her life? Or perhaps she should knock politely and say, "May I come in?" The best idea was to turn and find her way back.

Before she could contemplate any further, the door swung open and she found herself face to face with Duman.

"I heard voices," he said, before turning and walking away, leaving the door ajar.

Roxy tentatively stepped into the room, her pulse accelerating. Having expected a dull room resembling military barracks, Roxy was surprised to find herself standing in a gothic living room that was more well-furnished than any upper-class family home in Gardenia. The armchairs and couch were black, but Roxy's sense of smell told her they were dyed fur - enough fur to have caused an extinction of some species. In one corner, a long wooden table looked simply out of place, nearly buckling under the weight of a complex equipments; some of which Roxy recognised from her Potionology classes at Alfea. Duman stood at it, carefully concocting a potion, most probably a healing potion.

Roxy forced herself to turn her gaze towards the living area, where the other three wizards lounged on the armchairs, engaged in a conversation. They looked up as Roxy entered.

"We meet again, little fairy," Ogron said.

Roxy gulped. Her eyes skimmed over the wizards' appearances, noting their haggard features. They looked powerless, and reminded Roxy of the overworked and underpaid Gardenians that frequented the Frutti Music Bar where they confided most of their sorrows in the bartender on duty (who, often, was either Roxy or her father). Their eyes reflected a mix of all the anger and sorrow in the world, yet there still was that familiar wicked gleam in them.

Roxy wanted to fold her arms and plant her feet right where she was standing by the doorway, afraid of getting any closer. She felt as though she was a kid again, and was on her first trip to the zoo. She was standing near the lions' enclosure, and despite being a young fairy of animals, she was afraid of moving any closer. But later, towards the end of the trip, she had gone back and stepped as close as she could. A lion had turned to stare at her and they seemed to have had established a connection, both understanding each other's worlds and troubles. That was one of Roxy's earliest memories of being able to connect with animals. She even felt it when the same lion died in captivity several years later.

She had to establish a connection like that again.

Steeling herself, Roxy took a few steps forwards, trying to appear as confident as she could. She tried to picture the three wizards as lions, herself as a zookeeper and the gothic room as a den. Acting on impulse, she strode forwards and settled herself on one of the empty armchairs, crossing one leg over the other and sitting back as though she was about to conduct a business meeting with three of her clients.

"Destiny is a funny thing," Roxy said, struggling to maintain her confidence when all the while she wanted to run from the room crying for Queen Morgana. "I thought you were defeated in the Omega Dimension."

"Oh, we got out," said Ogron casually. "With a sorcerer's help, and later after we miraculously found Duman, we sought refuge with his new friends… who also happen to be your new family, I heard."

Roxy could not think of an adequate response to that. "It was an accident," she said.

"You needn't be afraid of us anymore, little fairy. Your fairy magic is now diluted, we have no more use for it. You, yourself, will have no more use for it eventually." Duman brought over a tray of steaming potions from the table, and handed it out to each wizard.

"What do you mean?" Roxy asked, her eyes narrowing.

Anagan smirked. "It means you will eventually cease to be a fairy, Roxy. After all, who has ever heard of a fairy-werewolf hybrid?" He raised his glass - "Congratulations, now you can finally be so much more than a pathetic winged creature." - and downed his potion.

Roxy's eyes widened. She lost her composure. "What?"

The wizards seemed to be enjoying themselves, all except for Duman, who was watching Roxy closely. "You will no longer be a fairy, but a werewolf. Wasn't Anagan clear enough?" Ogron said.

Roxy shook her head. No way. Yes, she knew something would happen to her fairy powers, but she didn't think they would be wiped away completely. She thought of her mother and the other earth fairies and the Winx, how at ease and at home she had felt with them. She belonged with them, they were her family. The future looked so bright, filled with victorious battles alongside the Winx, against vicious monsters of the magical universe. That perfect world was all on the verge of destruction. Her vision blurred as tears brimmed her eyes.

"Oh come on," Gantlos said, annoyed.

Roxy got to her feet. "I have to leave," she said.

"And go where? To the werewolves? I think they have every right to be insulted by your reaction, since you so clearly think of them as such an abomination when compared to the fairies that you would shed tears over your transformation," Duman said.

Roxy glared at him. "I don't think of them as an abomination!" she half-yelled. "It's just… I had a life with the fairies. I had a life at Alfea. I had my friends and family, but obviously someone like _you_ wouldn't know anything about that!"

Duman remained silent for a few moments, as Roxy once again remembered the camaraderie she had seen between the wizards back in Gardenia. She wanted to apologize, but wasn't sure how to do it without appearing weak in front of her enemies.

"Yes, of course. It isn't like we know anything about family and friendship," Duman spat. "And this is exactly why you fairies are some of the magical universe's most spoilt and entitled creatures - you're deluded and you don't see the many different sides of things. You're so absorbed in your own world of single-mindedness. You think light and fairy magic are so pure and good, and that practitioners of the dark arts haven't got a shred of a soul in them. You pride yourselves on being the fighters of evil, but it's never about good versus evil. It's always so much more than that."

"You ripped off the earth fairies' wings! You wiped away magic from earth and you wanted to take over the world!"

"And what do you know about our past, you young and naive fairy? What do you know of our past encounters with fairies? What do you know of our motives?"

"Your claim is false, Duman," Roxy said, through gritted teeth. "We believed you could repent. We thought you had renounced your evil ways. Nabu was even trying to heal you! We protected you from the major fairies who wanted revenge against you. And then you turned against us. You turned against us, and you killed Nabu. And now, you dare insult fairies and speak of having a soul? You are a hypocrite."

"And wouldn't you have enslaved us and laughed and bragged about how you defeated us if we were to truly surrender?" Duman retorted. "We knew you would never believe us anyway, and you would have had killed us when you had the chance. Did you think we were going to sit around and wait like sitting ducks?"

"We never meant to kill you," Roxy said. "We actually did fall for your trap. Each of us believed your evil days were over."

Duman was about to respond, but then seemed to stop himself.

Her breathing shaky, Roxy took a step back. "I'd like to return to the werewolves. I think our meet-and-greet session here is over." She headed for the door.

"Wait." Duman got up from where he had previously been sitting next to Gantlos. Roxy paused by the door, as the shapeshifter walked over. She waited for an insult.

"You would get lost in those corridors without a guide," he said.

* * *

 **Btw, I have recently started up an online literary journal / magazine. You are all welcome to submit fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, articles, essays and even comic strips and visual artworks! For more information, please visit: doctypelit dot weebly dot com / submissions dot html  
(without the spaces and replacing the 'dot' with actual dots)**

 **We would love you to send us your work.**


	12. Flora

The wind whistled in her ears as the trees around her passed in a blur. Senses honed, she could sniff out the faint smells of tiny creatures crawling about beneath fallen leaves a few feet ahead. A line of ants crawled up the bark of a tree about a meter ahead, and to her left, a beetle scurried into its hole as she rushed by. The slightest rustling of branches above and the light pants of her companion twenty yards behind her vied for her attention. But most important, her mind was clear; she knew who she was, and what she was doing.

It was exhilarating.

Behind her, Karel caught up. He charged in front of her, cutting her off. Roxy blinked, and a moment later, the werewolf towered above her in his human form. With all her might, Roxy willed herself to do the same.

"That's it!" Karel clapped, as Roxy morphed back into her human form. Her arms and legs felt sore, her tongue felt like it had been scraped with sandpaper and her back felt as though she had aged 80 years in the past ten minutes. But otherwise, she felt great. Even the crescent hanging above, like a beacon in the darkness, seemed to beam down at her.

"What's next?" Roxy asked. "Learning to do this in broad daylight?"

"I think we can work on that as we go along," Karel said. "But to be honest, I don't have a... study plan for you. You've learned to control your transformations and we've gone through all the how-to-stay-safe lessons. You're free to roam now. Just avoid getting killed."

"That's it?" Roxy was genuinely surprised.

Karel shrugged. "Were you expecting this to be a Werewolf Alfea? Like I've said, Roxy, most of our knowledge comes from experience. And survival is a natural instinct. We don't need a three-year college for werewolves. Or exams."

"That I can smile about," Roxy deadpanned.

They walked back to the hideout. "So now, you're welcome to join us on our hunts and prowls," Karel said. "Though you don't have to wait for us. Just leave whenever you feel like it. If you find yourself in any danger, howl for help and warn the pack. You never know who might be near you at any given moment."

Roxy nodded, stretching out her arm, her fingers lightly brushing the rough bark of the trees. "What do you think the others think of me, Karel? Do they still hate me for ratting out my status?"

"Well, what do you feel?"

Roxy shrugged. "They speak to me, but I don't exactly have any actual friends."

"They might still resent you. But they'll get over it. After all, a werewolf's life isn't exactly all fun and relaxing, so when we get the opportunity, we just need to chill."

"How long do you think you'll be keeping the wizards?"

"For as long as they need. Which I doubt would be any longer. They've already regained their strength, and seem ready to take the magical world by storm!"

"Karel."

"I didn't mean that literally, don't worry."

"No, Karel, look."

#

The day was darkening. The fortress of light wasn't located a great distance away from Alfea, but Flora had spent a considerable amount of time wandering the streets of magic to ruminate on her choice. She looked up at the imposing gates towering above her. Two guards flanked it, their eyes alert, hands gripping their weapons tightly. They frowned as Flora approached.

"State your business," said one guard, his voice gruff.

"I need to pay a visit to Roxy."

"The werewolf? Sorry, girl, but she left this morning. You missed her by a few hours."

"Where has she been moved to?"

"We aren't allowed to divulge such information."

"I am one of the Winx!"

"Even if we could tell you, fairy, we wouldn't know," said the guard, sounding a little annoyed. "She escaped. Now, please leave this area or we're going to lose our jobs."

"Where did she run away to?"

"I don't know, fairy! But you're one of the Winx, aren't you? Why don't you tell us?" The other guard grinned at his partner's words.

Flora flew off.

After all the saving-the-world they'd done, the Winx would definitely be tasked to help out with the werewolf extermination activities. The girls would definitely refuse initially, but Flora was afraid after plenty of persuasion from Faragonda, they would finally agree. She didn't want to wait till then. No matter how long it took, she would locate Roxy first and take her to safety. Perhaps she could hide her on Linphea?

"Perhaps Roxy has gone to the woods," Flora muttered to herself. But then again, that was where she had woken up after her first kill. The place might bring back bad memories that could also be triggers. Or perhaps she'd found a way out of Magix. Flora shuddered at the thought of a newcomer like Roxy stranded in the midst of crowds of strange and foreign people from all across the magical dimension, all without any good intention.

Flora flew on till she reached the outskirts of Magix. By then, night had fallen. Checking in to an inn, she drew out a search plan. She would scan the whole of Magix, inquiring at terminals if Roxy had been spotted leaving (though it was quite unlikely, as everyone was on the lookout for her). Being one of the Winx, she could simply pretend that she was on a scouting mission, helping in the search for the bloodthirsty werewolf.

She would leave the woods for her last stop, before she ventured out of Magix and continued her search elsewhere.

#

"What on earth?" Roxy gasped. "I mean, on Magix... whatever! What are you doing here, Flora?"

"I've been spending the last two weeks searching for you, Roxy," Flora said, landing. She couldn't see quite well in the darkness, but the crescent moon provided enough light for her to discern Roxy's features, contorted into an expression of surprise.

"And the Winx?" Roxy asked. "Aren't they missing you?"

Flora shrugged. "They might. But I wouldn't know. I haven't seen them since I left, but a week ago..."

"Wait, you left?"

"I left Alfea. I had to come looking for you, to make sure they didn't find you and kill you first. I meant to take you somewhere safe. But as I was saying, a week ago, I got news that the Winx have been dispatched to join the werewolf extermination task force."

"Oh." Roxy shifted her gaze down to Flora's feet. "They agreed?"

"I don't know for sure. But I'm sure if they did find you, they would've let you go unharmed. We would never hurt you, Roxy."

"Have you heard anything about my mom and dad? Artu?"

"Artu's distressed," Flora said. "Everyone is, but it's taking a huge toll on him. He doesn't seem to be able to communicate with you."

Roxy sighed. "That's the thing, Flora. I've lost contact with most of my fairy abilities."

Just then, Karel stepped forwards into the thin ray of light from the crescent. Flora turned sharply at his movement, and her eyes widened at what she saw.

"You!"

Karel hung his head. "Yes, Flora."

"I haven't seen you in... well, since I was a first-year fairy on a mission to collect liquid moonlight."

"Which you brought into my cabin and accidentally transformed me."

Flora opened her mouth to say something, but remained silent.

"But that doesn't worry me now," Karel said. He smiled. "I've gained control over my transformations. I will still transform when the moon is full, but I am aware, and will not harm anyone I don't want to."

Flora's guarded look changed to one of relief. She smiled. "And I suppose you're teaching Roxy to do the same?"

"Yes, he is," Roxy said. "How did you find us here, Flora?"

"I just kept combing through the woods," Flora said. "I was thinking of setting up camp when it got dark, but I had a good feeling about tonight. Fairy instincts, I suppose."

"Oh gosh, please don't start."

Roxy and Karel looked up. Flora turned.

"Roxy, watch out!" she cried, forming a spell in her hands.

"No, wait, Flora!" Roxy dashed forwards and grabbed at Flora's arm, stalling her attack. "He's with us."

Duman strode forwards. "Perhaps we should all resume our conversation back at the hideout, where there's actually some light and we don't have to squint at each other in this semi-darkness. What do you say, Karel? Will the others welcome this fairy?"

"She's our friend," Karel said. "Both Roxy's and mine. I think we can make an exception for her."

"If you want to, Karel. I don't know how the others might take this, though. They might think you've given up on this idea of a werewolf safe haven. Flora could be a spy. No one back at the hideout will be happy to see her, except perhaps Anagan."

"I'm not a spy! I'm genuinely here to help Roxy," Flora said, her eyes narrowing. "And what is this about Anagan?" She turned to stare at Roxy. "Why are you working with him? Are the wizards still alive?"

Roxy sighed.

"I trust Flora," Karel said. "She did not speak of me the last time we met. I trust she will not speak of this to anyone."

"And I know she's not a spy," Roxy added.

Duman shrugged. "Save it for the werewolves. They'd be more interested in listening to that."

Flora stared in disbelief as Duman headed back towards the hideout. "What is going on?" she asked, though her voice was barely above a whisper.

Roxy gently took Flora's hand. "Come with us. We'll show you. Just promise me you'll never speak of this to anyone."

* * *

 **I wrote this like ages ago and finally found it :-P**


	13. The Task Force

The bus pulled to a halt outside the Fortress of Light, and five girls dressed in dark-coloured suits descended, morose expressions drawn on their faces. They shuffled into a courtyard, where a group of people were waiting for them.

"We're glad you could make it, Winx," said Saladin, as the girls approached him.

"For the record, we do not approve," Tecna said.

"Roxy is our friend, and I can't believe you're going to make us betray her!" Musa said.

"It no longer matters if Roxy is your friend or not. She is now part of a group of extremely dangerous creatures that are posing a huge threat to the safety and security of Magix. As the Winx and as guardian fairies, it is your natural duty and responsibility to put the needs of the citizens before your own opinions and relationships," Saladin responded, coolly.

Helia stepped up next to his grandfather. There were shadows beneath his eyes, as though he hadn't been asleep for days. His brow creased with worry. "Do you have any news or updates on Flora?"

"No," Bloom said. "Nothing at all."

Helia turned away. For the past few days, Flora had been missing; not showing up for classes nor answering calls. She wasn't anywhere in Alfea nor had she gone to Redfountain. Helia had urged his grandfather to call on the Magix authorities to send out a search party, afraid she might've fallen into a werewolf trap or worse. Saladin had tried, but the authorities didn't want to waste any resources on an unplanned search that could yield zero results. Helia's response was to gather the help of the specialists to meticulously plan out an investigation and execute it with the help of a task force that consisted of his grandfather and the Winx. Soon, Codatorta and most of the heads of school heard of it, and they decided to take matters into their own hands. The task force was to consist of more than just a bunch of specialists and fairies; some of Magix's best trackers and hunters joined the team. The objective was changed from finding Flora to locating and exterminating the werewolves, which included Roxy.

Saladin led the team into a meeting room in the Fortress of Light. A long, rectangular stone table stood in the centre beneath a painted ceiling. A hologram of a complete map of the woods glowed in the centre as the members of the task force took their seats.

"From our scouts' reports, we believe the wolf hideout is most likely in the forest," Saladin said, enlarging the hologram with a deft movement of his fingers. Several spots on the hologram lit up, some blinking. "These are the spots they've marked, and the blinking ones indicate that other creatures already live there. Our task force will be split into a few groups, and each group will take on a different spot."

Saladin quickly divided them into groups. The Winx were disgruntled to find that they were to be separated, and worse still, forced to work with some of the trackers and hunters. Bloom, Stella and Layla were to travel with Sky, Brandon and a hunter from southern Magix whereas Musa, Tecna and Helia had a tracker assigned to their group.

"We are in charge of searching this area, near the heart of the woods," Helia said, gesturing at a highlighted spot on another hologram of the map of the woods projected from Tecna's palmtop. He faced Musa and Tecna, turning his back on the tracker. "Keep an eye out for any signs of Flora as well," he said in a low voice. The two fairies nodded.

Night was upon them and the woods appeared dark and inaccessible. That wasn't a problem for the task force, as Codatorta had loaned them night vision glasses from Redfountain. They split up and headed towards their search areas.

"What do we do if we see a werewolf? Kill it? Capture it?"

"Make it take us to wherever it's pack is hiding, obviously," said the tracker. "I'm sure it will respond and open up to a little pain."

"We're fairies, and we don't believe in torture," Musa said, balling her fists. The tracker merely rolled his eyes.

"Hold up," Tecna said, stopping in her tracks. "My palmtop's picking up on something."

"Sweet. And we're not even close to our designated search area yet," said the tracker, sniffing the air. "Yes, indeed, someone is approaching."

The five of them retreated behind trees, where they stood in dead silence under the cover of darkness. Tecna muted her palmtop before accessing the map again, paying attention to the dot that represented whoever it was who was approaching them.

Helia peeked out from behind his tree as the person or creature drew near. Before he could see who it was, the tracker leaped out from his hiding spot, levelled his gun and shot out a net that quickly wrapped itself around a person that immediately responded with an indignant "Hey!"

#

"It's unbelievable. Truly," Flora said, as she clutched her head and sipped her herbal tea. "I thought we defeated the wizards in the Omega Dimension. And the werewolves... they all seem..."

"Like a family?" said Roxy.

"Yes."

"Well, wolves do travel in packs, to which they're loyal. I don't see why it would be different for werewolves. What, did you expect to see a den of savage creatures bent on ripping each other's guts out?"

Flora shuddered. "Don't talk like that, Roxy."

Roxy shrugged. "I would've been appalled, too, back then. But after all those hunts, it's become second nature to me."

Flora set down her mug. She looked up and took in her surroundings once more, her gaze sweeping over various individuals who appeared to be just like the regular citizens of Magix, seated together, laughing and exchanging jokes and stories. It was a far cry from the image she had had in mind, and so was the comfortable, nicely decorated sitting room.

"This place is so normal. It reminds me of one of those classic cafes in Magix that Helia and I would sometimes go to on our dates."

"Well, we are all still part human. We do enjoy a little indoor comfort once in a while. But the reason why you find it familiar is probably because an owner of one of those 'classic cafes' is a werewolf, too, and he furnished this place.

Flora sighed. "And I suppose they don't trust me."

"No," Roxy said. "But then again, we've all been taught to not trust anyone so easily. It's a helpful skill. They'll warm up to you, eventually."

"And the wizards?"

Roxy watched a group of five werewolves talking and laughing loudly about one of their escapades in a mountain pass. "You can see them if you like," she said. "I did, but it was mainly to overcome my fear of them."

"I don't know if I want to confront them," said Flora.

Roxy got to her feet. "I can't say they'll be exactly pleased to see you either, but I don't suppose it will bring much harm, will it?"

#

Helia edged closer to the trapped being. He directed the beam of his torch onto the creature.

The man looked to be in his late twenties, about Helia's size, and his hair was the same colour as the Specialist's, though it was shorter and stuck up at two ends. He glared up at the search party.

"It's one of the werewolves! Kill it!" the tracker hissed. Tecna, who stood behind him, began typing rapidly on her palmtop, scanning the man they had caught. Musa watched her over her shoulder.

"Wait," said the man. He tried his best to stand up, though his movements were limited by the net. He managed to raise his hands in surrender. "Please hear me out. My name is Karel and I am not a werewolf. I am just a researcher who was the Magix woods and decided to come here at night to investigate further."

"Didn't you hear the news about werewolves? The woods are crawling with them, and it is too dangerous," Helia said. "You should leave."

"Gnahh!" the tracker grumbled, pushing Helia aside. He spat on the ground at Karel's feet. "I'm telling you, this man is lying! He's a werewolf! I've had years of experience, I can sense it!"

Tecna's palmtop beeped as it returned the scan results. She frowned. "This is confusing," she said, tapping a few more buttons.

"Can we trust him, Tecna?" Helia asked, not taking his eyes off of Karel.

After a few moments, Tecna looked up from her palmtop. "He's not a werewolf. But that doesn't mean we can trust him, as he isn't who he says he is. He's not a researcher. He's just a regular citizen of Magix, and most probably unemployed since I can't find any recent records of employment."

"He's a werewolf! We can't rely on that dumb toy!" said the tracker.

"It's not a dumb toy, you moron," Tecna responded, as she and Musa glared at the tracker. "It's a state-of-the-art, well-calibrated palmtop made in Zenith that…"

"Guys, stop arguing," said Helia. He knelt to face Karel. "Why did you lie about who you are?"

Karel sighed. "Well, you wouldn't believe me anyway."

"So, who are you really?" Helia interrogated. "And stick to the truth this time."

Karel shrugged. "I'm just a concerned citizen of Magix who decided to come werewolf-hunting in the woods. Well, okay, that isn't the whole truth. A few friends and I wanted to see if we could capture any werewolf so we could gain fame and riches."

The tracker threw back his head and cackled. "An amateur who thinks he can do better than an experienced tracker like me?"

Karel smirked. "I have done better. I've found the werewolves' hideout."

The tracker laughed even more. "Let's just run him through and be on our way. We're wasting precious time."

Helia gave the tracker a look, before turning back to Karel. "You say you've found the place. Where is it and how did you find it?"

"We divided the woods into sections before searching. I suppose your little search party would've done that, too?"

"Yes," Helia said. "We even have people searching underground."

"Nice, since their hideout is located underground. It took only about ten of us to find it. How many people have you deployed?"

"Many," Musa said. "Groups of specialists, fairies, hunters and trackers. Including people like this idiot over here." She glared at the tracker, who frowned back.

Karel laughed. "I can take you to the place, if you want."

"That easy?" Tecna asked, her eyes narrowing. "Last I remember, you wanted to acquire fame and glory for this discovery? What happened to that dream?"

Karel shrugged. "Well, the other half of what I said was true as well. I am also a concerned citizen of Magix. And the reason why I would choose to tell you without expecting anything in return is because, well, firstly, you are benevolent fairies who would still credit me with this discovery…"

Tecna rolled her eyes.

"… and secondly…" Karel looked down. "I saw the werewolves capturing a girl about your age. I think she might be an Alfea student. I choose to tell you because I know my friends and I are not capable of storming and taking a werewolf nest, but you guys could, and this fairy needs to be saved."

Helia's eyes widened. He edged closer. "What did she look like, this fairy?"

"Tanned skin, brown hair? She cast some spells when she was attacked… I saw her manipulating plants and roots. Perhaps she's a nature fairy?"

Helia, Musa and Tecna exchanged looks, their eyes widening in horror. "Flora!" Helia exclaimed. He turned back to Karel, aggressively grabbing the man by the shoulders. "Tell me where this hideout is! Lead us to it! We'll give you whatever you want! Come on!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh," Karel said. He thrashed around in his net. "But first, let me go. And I will travel unbound, with dignity. No handcuffs or whatever else you've got. No secretly analysing me with your palmtop. Are we clear?"

"Don't test my patience, sonny." Helia glared at Karel.

Musa reached out and lightly touched Helia's shoulder. "Stay calm, Helia. We'll let him go. If he tries to escape, Tecna and I can easily track him down. He can't fly or run fast enough to escape us. Remember, saving Flora is our number one priority now."

"Capturing werewolves is our number one priority!" the tracker argued.

"If you're not happy, you can leave us," Helia said. "And do say hi for me when you encounter a pack of hungry werewolves somewhere in the woods." He cut away Karel's net, helped the man to his feet, and gestured forwards. "Lead the way."

Karel walked off into the darkness of the woods, flanked by Musa and Tecna who kept an eye on him, and followed closely by Helia and a reluctant tracker.


End file.
